Officials: Man's sex abuse on minor spans 9 years

Investigators said a man being held without bond sexually abused a child as many as 300 times over a period of nine years.

Lester Barrow, 62, admitted to deputies that he began having sexual encounters with the minor when the boy was 8 years old.

The 17-year-old, described as a family friend, came forward last week.

"This had occurred for so many years, it had just got to the point where this victim had had enough," Seminole County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Kim Cannaday said.

The judge ordered Barrow to be held without bond and said if he ever is given bond, he must stay away from the victim.

Cannaday said Barrow did not deny any of the allegations, but came forward with new information. He said he also took pictures of the boy while he was naked, but destroyed the images years ago. Barrow's computer was confiscated.

Deputies have no information suggesting Barrow abused any other children.

The suspect's brother spoke to WESH 2 News off-camera and said that he never knew of any inappropriate behavior. He described his 62-year-old brother as "childlike."

Diplomats and negotiators kept working Tuesday as a deadline approached to reach a deal on a framework agreement on Iran's nuclear program, but a U.S. State Department official said the discussion may continue after the cutoff.